Search results for "Urogenital System"
showing 10 items of 348 documents
Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptors in the endometrium of septate uterus.
2008
Objective To compare the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptors (KDR, Flt-1, and sflt) in the different endometrial locations of septate uterus and normal uterus. Design Prospective, observational study. Setting University teaching hospital. Patient(s) Twelve women with complete septate uterus undergoing hysteroscopic metroplasty and 12 women with normal uterus. Intervention(s) Endometrial tissue samples were obtained from the endometrium covering the septum and the endometrium lining the lateral wall of the uterus. Moreover, endometrial samples were obtained from patients with normal uterus. Main Outcome Measure(s) Differences in the mRNA exp…
Preliminary studies on reproduction of Puntazzo puntazzo (Gmelin 1789) (Pisces, Sparidae) under controlled conditions
1985
Abstract Experiments were carried out under controlled conditions in September 1983 on the reproduction of Puntazzo puntazzo (sheepshead bream). The techniques adopted to stimulate spawning, the egg characteristics, and the phases of embryonal development until the sixth day after hatching are described. The best spawning results were obtained with intramuscular injections of HCG at 1 I.U./g of body weight. Optimal fertilization and hatching were observed at 22°C, the mean temperature of the sea water during the natural period of reproduction of Puntazzo puntazzo .
Crushing predation of the spiny star Marthasterias glacialis upon the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus
2009
Literature data report that only fish predators are able to crush sea urchin tests in Mediterranean rocky reefs. This experimental study showed that the spiny star Marthasterias glacialis is able to break Paracentrotus lividus tests and that the breaking event is more likely to occur for small-sized sea urchins than for big ones. Our results show that the role of M. glacialis in regulating P. lividus population density can be important in specific locations. They may have important implications, moreover, for the use of tethering techniques aimed at identifying predator types of sea urchins.
Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy of Ureteral Stones: Clinical Experience and Experimental Findings
1986
AbstractESWL of impacted ureteral or caliceal stones is not as successful as expected. To study this problem a model for extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy of ureteral stones has been designed. After initial fragmentation of the outer shell of impacted stones during the first series of shock wave application those fragments are kept in place by external mucosal contact, creating a lot of new interfaces.Absorption or reflection of shock wave energy within this fragmented shell seems to be responsible for the poor success rate in these cases. In regard to our experimental and clinical results we advise pushing ureteral stones back into the renal collecting system by means of a ureteral cat…
proTRAC - a software for probabilistic piRNA cluster detection, visualization and analysis
2012
Abstract Background Throughout the metazoan lineage, typically gonadal expressed Piwi proteins and their guiding piRNAs (~26-32nt in length) form a protective mechanism of RNA interference directed against the propagation of transposable elements (TEs). Most piRNAs are generated from genomic piRNA clusters. Annotation of experimentally obtained piRNAs from small RNA/cDNA-libraries and detection of genomic piRNA clusters are crucial for a thorough understanding of the still enigmatic piRNA pathway, especially in an evolutionary context. Currently, detection of piRNA clusters relies on bioinformatics rather than detection and sequencing of primary piRNA cluster transcripts and the stringency …
Molecular Evolution and the Phylogenetic Relationships of the African Toad, Bufo danielae PERRET, 1977 (Salientia : Bufonidae)
1980
Abstract Phylogenetic relationships of the African toad Bufo danielae are investigated using a variety of biochemical approaches. Nuclear DNA content was assayed and compared to representatives of three species groups of African Bufo. Cellogel electrophoresis of plasma proteins was performed and patterns of B. danielae compared with those of representatives of the African B. regularis species complex. Finally microcomplement fixation analyses of albumin relationships of B. danielae and African Bufo were carried out. The strengths of the varied approaches for phylogenetic analysis are discussed. B. danielae appears most closely related to B. maculatus and B. pusillus, it being some 5-6 mill…
Stable expression in HEK-293 cells of the rat alpha3/beta4 subtype of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor.
1996
The alpha3/beta4 subtype of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) was stably expressed in human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells that co-expressed a voltage-gated Ca2+ channel. alpha3/beta4-nAChR-expressing clones were identified using the fura-2 Ca2+ imaging technique, and were further characterised by single-cell and whole-cell patch-clamp studies. Acetylcholine (ACh) induced fast activating currents which showed desensitisation and inward rectification. The conductance of the ACh-activated channel was 29 pS. The order of potency of the nicotinic agonists tested was cytisine approximately = nicotine > acetylcholine. The EC50 value for ACh was 145 microM; the Hill coefficient w…
The Wilms' tumor suppressor gene (wt1) product regulates Dax-1 gene expression during gonadal differentiation.
1999
Gonadal differentiation is dependent upon a molecular cascade responsible for ovarian or testicular development from the bipotential gonadal ridge. Genetic analysis has implicated a number of gene products essential for this process, which include Sry, WT1, SF-1, and DAX-1. We have sought to better define the role of WT1 in this process by identifying downstream targets of WT1 during normal gonadal development. We have noticed that in the developing murine gonadal ridge, wt1 expression precedes expression of Dax-1, a nuclear receptor gene. We document here that the spatial distribution profiles of both proteins in the developing gonad overlap. We also demonstrate that WT1 can activate the D…
piRNAclusterDB 2.0: update and expansion of the piRNA cluster database.
2021
Abstract PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) and their partnering PIWI proteins defend the animal germline against transposable elements and play a crucial role in fertility. Numerous studies in the past have uncovered many additional functions of the piRNA pathway, including gene regulation, anti-viral defense, and somatic transposon repression. Further, comparative analyses across phylogenetic groups showed that the PIWI/piRNA system evolves rapidly and exhibits great evolutionary plasticity. However, the presence of so-called piRNA clusters as the major source of piRNAs is common to nearly all metazoan species. These genomic piRNA-producing loci are highly divergent across taxa and critically…
Differential roles of PKCα and PKCɛ in controlling the gene expression of Nox4 in human endothelial cells
2007
NADPH oxidases are major sources of superoxide in the vascular wall. This study investigates the role of protein kinase C (PKC) in regulating gene expression of NADPH oxidases. Treatment of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and HUVEC-derived EA.hy 926 endothelial cells with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) or phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate led to a PKC-dependent biphasic expression of the gp91phox homolog Nox4. A downregulation of Nox4 was observed at 6 h and an upregulation at 48 h after phorbol ester treatment. The early Nox4 downregulation was associated with a reduced superoxide production, whereas the late Nox4 upregulation was accompanied by a clear enhancement of superoxi…